


Where the Lovelight Gleams

by LuckyBossuet



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Christmas Shopping, Fluff, Non-Binary Jean Prouvaire, Other, doing things for your partner, just generally being soft, poetry smash, soft bahorel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:00:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28169637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuckyBossuet/pseuds/LuckyBossuet
Summary: "Jehan Prouvaire is a capital R Romantic, this isn’t news to most people who have met them. Naturally this means Bahorel is aware of this, being Jehan’s boyfriend. What is news to him, however is that Jehan has never had someone do the sappy, romantic Christmas time traditions with them."Bahorel decides to do something sweet for his partner.
Relationships: Bahorel/Jean Prouvaire
Kudos: 6





	Where the Lovelight Gleams

**Author's Note:**

> Happy holidays! I'm officially on break so I thought it was appropriate to post this now!
> 
> big thanks to my betas, the wonderful [kytters](https://archiveofourown.org/users/scrubbadub/pseuds/scrubbadub) and [Les amis DCD](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlmostARealHobbit/pseuds/les%20Amis%20DCD)!

Jehan Prouvaire is a capital R Romantic, this isn’t news to most people who have met them. Naturally this means Bahorel is aware of this, being Jehan’s boyfriend. What  _ is _ news to him, however is that Jehan has never had someone do the sappy, romantic Christmas time traditions with them.

Bahorel may have dropped out of pre-law, but he’s certain this is criminal. 

He and Jehan have been dating since February. It’s now December, and Bahorel has an idea.

* * *

** 1 - Ornament Painting **

“Jehan, my dear, my darling, light of my life—” Bahorel enters their shared apartment carrying a box.

“‘Rel, what did you do, now?” Jehan asks, smiling.

“This time, nothing, I swear.  _ But _ I did find something interesting in town.” Bahorel shows his datemate the box.

Of course, by “found” Bahorel means “spent hours looking for while Grantaire complained about the cold”. Technicalities.

“Oh?” Jehan puts their book down and moves to look better, leaning over a chair to do so.

With a flourish, Bahorel opens the box, revealing a set of plain baubles, a few small brushes and mini pots of colourful paint.

“I thought we could paint them together,” Bahorel chances, feeling relief when Jehan smiles widely at him.

“Now?” they ask.

“Of course!”

By the end of the night they have a dozen painted baubles, if not necessarily  _ neatly _ painted.

* * *

** 2 - Tree Decorating **

The next day, Jehan wakes them up early in their excitement. “I hoped we could decorate the tree?” they ask excitedly., “Neither of us have anything today so—”

“Of course! I’ll get it out.” Bahorel has more than accepted by this point in their relationship that he can refuse Jehan nothing, even at the cost of a few more hours of sleep on a Saturday.

The tree came with Bahorel from his old place, where he used to decorate it alone. Now, however, the plastic branches decorate Jehan’s flat, the green standing out amongst the clutter and books.

After avoiding a branch or two when Jehan tried to help (“Bunny, maybe just get the decorations out?”) the tree is set up.

“Right, how do you want it done?” Bahorel asks, winding his arms around Jehan’s waist.

The poet hums, “Perhaps, rainbow tinsel? With the baubles here?” They point to the side of the tree that’s most prominent as you enter the apartment.

Bahorel nods. “I’ll get them out.”

It somehow takes longer to decorate the tree than put it up, in part due to the surprising amount of tinsel Jehan owns and in part due to the fact that Jehan looks so happy that Bahorel has to keep reminding himself to look elsewhere.

Eventually the tree is complete, bright, colourful and cheerful, with Jehan and Bahorel sitting in front of it, admiring their work.

“Where did you even  _ get _ that much tinsel?”

“I like shiny things, okay?” Jehan nudges their boyfriend before settling down, their head on his shoulder and dozing off, tired from the excitement.

* * *

**3 - Cuddling with a Film**

Les Amis have a tradition of watching Christmas films and having a sleepover once everyone is finished and on holiday, which explains why they end up all piled up in Enjolras’ apartment on a random Thursday in December.

What it doesn’t quite explain is why there are only three people actually  _ watching _ the film. Most people have dozed off, the pre-christmas rush from work and university catching up. 

Courfeyrac is still awake, with Combeferre asleep in his lap, completely absorbed in the film, as are Jehan and Bahorel.

Carefully, from where he has his arms wrapped around his partner, Bahorel presses a kiss to Jehan’s shoulder. When they don’t object, he does it again, moving up when he hears them sigh happily.

He manages to reach Jehan’s ear before he hears a whispered, “‘Rel, I love you but this is an emotional bit.” So he places a single kiss on Jehan’s cheek before pulling them back, taking advantage of his snuggle rights.

He can’t help himself watching Jehan’s smile as the characters finally communicate and tell each other how they feel, laughing to himself when Jehan mouths the lines.

“ _ So now I'm just gonna kiss you for the millionth time and say 'Be seeing you'. _ ”.

Bahorel could watch Jehan forever, just being.

When the credits start, Jehan leans back against Bahorel, pulling his arms around themself. “I love that one. It’s your favourite too, isn’t it?”

Bahorel smiles, pressing a kiss into his datemate’s hair, braided with strands of silvery string.

“Am I that obvious, bunny?”

Jehan giggles at the nickname, “Only to me, darling.” They turn slightly to press a kiss into Bahorel’s bearded jaw. “Only to me.”

They settle down, running a finger along Bahorel’s arm until they both fall asleep.

* * *

** 4 - Baking Together **

“What’s all this, baby?” Bahorel turns when he hears Jehan’s question.

“I wanted to surprise you, I found a recipe online for those cookies you like? I thought we could make them together?” Bahorel relaxes when Jehan smiles at him.

“Oh, ‘Rel, you softie.” They kiss his cheek. “I think that sounds like a lovely idea. Where do we start?”

The recipe is simple— in theory. It simply doesn’t take into account a datemate who wants to “just taste a little bit” of everything and a fairly good baker who can’t say no to their partner.

They end up sitting on the floor, barely any cookie dough  _ in _ the oven. There’s flour on the floor and in both their hair, but Bahorel can’t seem to care. Jehan is laughing, he’s laughing.

Looking next to him all he can think is “ _ yeah, this is good.” _

He can always make more later; the chocolate chip kisses he gets are more than worth it.

* * *

**5 - Going to a Christmas Market**

“Rel, Elija, pumpkin, dear heart?” Jehan says in one breath from where they’re reading upside down on the chair.

“Yes, Jeh?”

“Well, the Market closes in a couple of days, and we haven’t had a chance to go…” they seem almost hesitant about asking.

Bahorel smiles at them, “I’m free today, Bunny. Should I grab our coats?”

Jehan’s face splits into a huge grin, they flip themself backwards off of the chair. “Yes please!”

Laughing, Bahorel gets their coats.

The market is beautiful.

The trees are strung with fairy lights, wooden stalls scattered around the square, the smell of spices and chocolate and all sorts of food penetrating every inch of it.

They less walk around together, than Bahorel lets himself be dragged by an excited Jehan, looking at the trinkets, baubles and stockings, scarves and mittens, even a small stall of hand carved boxes that “would be just darling for my candles, wouldn’t they?”.

Naturally, Bahorel has to buy one for Jehan, much to their delight.

They end the night buying nutmeg hot chocolate and walking along the street, hand in hand.

“Did you know,” Jehan asked, “that I love you greatly, as the sun loves the sky, as the moon loves the night?”

“I did.” Bahorel stops to kiss Jehan’s nose, laughing when it twitches. “Did you know I love you just the same?” He knows his voice cracks, but he can’t bring himself to be embarrassed by it.

Jehan’s smile when they say “I did” could blind him.

* * *

**6/7 - Special Breakfast and Mistletoe**

Bahorel normally goes on runs in the morning. Jehan is a surprisingly heavy sleeper so this doesn’t bother them, especially as Bahorel almost always gets back into bed with them after a shower.

This morning, however, Bahorel doesn’t do that.

He doesn’t even go for his run.

No, this morning is Christmas, and the last day of doing Coupley Christmas Things with Jehan, so Bahorel gets up early to surprise them with two things.

The first is breakfast. There are three things going on the stove, one frying pancakes, one making a raspberry sauce and one making hot chocolate. Thankfully, the pancakes don’t stick and come out nice and thin, the sauce is smooth and the hot chocolate is creamy and smells  _ so _ good he wants to drink it all right there.

He carefully stacks up the plates onto a tray and goes into the bedroom right as he hears Jehan grumbling about a cold bed.

“I’m sorry, bunny, will this help?” Bahorel asks, laughing fondly at the pout Jehan has on their face.

It takes a moment for Jehan to register the food, making grabby hands at Bahorel before they notice it.

“Oh, are those pancakes?” Jehan’s eyes light up. “My favourite!” 

Careful not to spill anything, Bahorel gets back into bed and kisses his partner’s shoulder. “Of course, I wanted to treat you. Merry Christmas, love.”

Jehan’s grin widens, “Merry Christmas, Rel.” 

“Before you dig in?” Jehan’s hand pauses halfway to the fork. Bahorel reaches to his bedside table and waves a sprig of mistletoe above their heads. “Kissy?”

Jehan giggles, taking Bahorel’s face in their hands, peppering kisses all over his face, ending with a long slow one on his lips.

Softly, they tell him, “I love you, I don’t ever want to spend another year without you as my partner.”

Bahorel leans his forehead on Jehan’s. “I feel the same, Jeh.”

* * *

**Jehan's** **Surprise**

That evening, Bahorel is lying on the sofa, Jehan on top of him, when Jehan shifts to look at him.

“I— I have another thing I wanted to give you,” they say hesitantly, “Wait here?”

“Of course. Is everything okay, bunny?” Jehan seems to relax some at the nickname and nods.

“Yeah, I mean— I hope so. Just, one minute?” Then they run off to the spare room which serves as an office, leaving a very confused Bahorel to sit up on the sofa, his legs cold from the sudden disappearance of their human blanket.

Bahorel is worried, Jehan hasn’t seemed this nervous since their first date.

When Jehan comes back they don’t look any calmer. Bahorel stands up, gently holding their arms when they get to the sofa. “Love? What’s wrong?”

“I’m fine Rel,” they try to reassure him, “just a little nervous.”

Bahorel noses Jehan’s crown for a moment “What of?”

“I— I want to ask you something.” This is when Bahorel notices that Jehan has something in their pajama pocket now.

“Some may think we moved fast, we’ve been together nearly a year

But what does fast mean when you love, when all you hold is here

You hold my heart, my soul, my all,” They recite, eyes closed to remember the words that Jehan must have written

“Elija Bahorel, I love you.” Jehan takes a small black box out of their pocket and kneels down, a watery smile on their face. “Will you be my husband? Will you take me as your spouse?”

Bahorel can’t speak, all he can do is look at the amazing, beautiful, wonderful person in front of him and wonder how he got so lucky. He manages to snap out of it when the smiles on Jehan’s face starts to fall.

“Yes.” He’s grinning maniacally now. “Yes, yes, yes. Absolutely, I will.” He pulls Jehan up, letting them place the woven silver band on his finger. 

He can’t stop himself kissing Jehan, murmuring “I love you” into their lips.

Jehan giggles as they pull away. “I love you, too.” They lean their head on Bahorel’s shoulder.

“Are you happy, bunny?”

“Completely, and perfectly, and incandescently happy.”

Jehan kisses him again, and Bahorel forgets completely about the ring that he has stored away in his recipe box, along with everything else other than the two of them.


End file.
